Lee was born to Ellis Smith Marquis and Mary Ann Garner Marquis. He had an older brother who died in infancy and three younger sisters, Billie, Lela and Beulah. He graduated from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Tx. He worked in a bank, the oil field and was a school teacher. In Dec 1917 he married Mary Essie Council daughter of Robert Anderson Coucil and Sarah Susannah Kirby. He was the father of Marjorie Lynette Marquis Slagle, Mary Jean Marquis Berg, Dorothy Elizabeth Marquis Edwards and John Edward Marquis. There were eleven grandchildren and 10 great-grand children.